Several times in the last few days I’ve found myself explaining to people that I’m not a serious cyclist. I then go on to state that I don’t do drop handlebar lycra speed stuff and that I just ride a bike.
Which is what I do, I have a nice bike, a town/tourer, with gears and I ride it on the roads and it will go along grassy canal paths and bumpy tracks. If I had the inclination it would probably get me round a few mountain bike routes. I wear cycling sports gear but have been known to just get on my bike in ‘normal clothes’ and ride it to work, or friends for coffee.
But I do enjoy my rides out, set targets and goals – usually about which hill I can get up and want to do Cycletta in a faster time this year, along with a much longer trip planned for the summer.
So am I a serious cyclist or just someone who takes cycling seriously?
I have been brought up by cyclist parents and you were not a REAL cyclist unless you rode a bike with drops, and wore the gear, although in former years you didn’t ride Lycra, but a ‘uniform’ type of clothes. Now, even old roadies wear Lycra (ugh).
Since I started cycling again after a spate of walking and other activities, I cycled with a MTB with not so knobbly tyres, wear knee pants but do not wear Lycra. I’m not sure whether there’s much difference between your two descriptions – both describes what you do. I’m not sure what I’d call myself, I just have been cycling most of my life and in fact been brought up with it.
The main thing is to enjoy whatever form of cycling you do. I wish I lived nearer to you and your friends, I’d love your coffee and scones rides!
We will let you know if we expand the scone rides further than East Lancs, I’m just going with the theory that as long as its fun its good!
It’s hard to say…. maybe you simply just like cycling.
Yes, probably over complicating it!
I know what you mean. My boyfriend is a “cyclist”. Going fast,Lycra clad on the Saturday club run, occasional long distances with the Sunday crowd & the odd bit of racing now & then. I have drop bars but on a cyclo-cross frame. I wear a cycling jersey, mainly for the pockets but wear cropped trousers overs my padded shorts. And i don’t go very fast & i’ve yet to go very far. But discovering Cycletta last year & having a goal spurred me on. And it’s nice to be a part of something. I somehow feel like I’m not a cyclist enough to call myself a cyclist but I do love cycling & somehow just being somebody with a bike doesn’t cover it.
Yes when we are out in a group we say we are out cycling, but then a blur of wheels and lycra flash past… and we’re back to just riding a bike! but great fun either way
That’s funny, Velma and anneinmid, I go out for a few rides, think I’m burning it up a bit and the same, a skinny, young roadie flashes past me and is gone, and I bet he wonders what that old woman is doing, sauntering along!
I must say I have only recently started wearing my padded cycling shorts for longer jaunts, they do make bottoms more comfortable. I never used them many years ago only for racing, and somehow never had any problems. Maybe my bottom had absorbed many more miles then.
I’d love a cyclo cross bike. I consider myself a cyclist as I’ve been doing it from a child, just changed my interpretation of how I enjoy myself, preferring enjoying the short distances I do to counting how many miles I do (not very many). My rides often consist of voluntary ranger duties along the Transpennine Trail, shopping, going to my mum’s but I enjoy what I do!
Yes, keep posting about your lovely rides.
I think thats the key – to just enjoy it however and wherever.